Video: Making a catalog for the exercise files

Under the hood, Elements Organizer uses catalogs to keep track of your photos. I'd like to explain a bit about what a catalog is and show you how to make a separate catalog for the exercise file photos that we'll be using in this course. A catalog is a database which contains information about each photo that you choose to import into the organizer. When you use the import function, as I'll be showing you how to do shortly, you're not actually moving or copying photos into Elements, what you're doing is creating a record of each of those photos in the active catalog.

Watch the Online Video Course Up and Running with Photoshop Elements 12

2h 5mBeginnerSep 25, 2013

Viewers:
in countries
Watching now:

Join photographer and teacher Jan Kabili as she introduces the photo organizing, editing, and sharing features of Adobe Photoshop Elements 12. This course begins with a look at Elements Organizer, a workspace that makes it easier than ever to import photos. Next, Jan explores the photo-enhancement features in the Quick Edit workspace, from correcting color and lighting to quick retouching. Then graduate to the Expert Edit view, which provides tools for selecting portions of images, compositing multiple images, straightening crooked photos, and more. Last, Jan returns to the Organizer to show you how to tag photos with keywords and create albums, and introduces Elements 12's features for emailing photos and sharing them on Twitter.

Making a catalog for the exercise files

Under the hood, Elements Organizer uses catalogs to keep track of your photos.I'd like to explain a bit about what a catalog is and show you how tomake a separate catalog for the exercise filephotos that we'll be using in this course.A catalog is a database which contains information abouteach photo that you choose to import into the organizer.When you use the import function, as I'll be showing youhow to do shortly, you're not actually moving or copying photosinto Elements, what you're doing is creating a recordof each of those photos in the active catalog.

Much like a librarian would do when she creates acard for a new book in a library card catalog.That record in elements contains a small copy of eachphoto which you see here on the face of the organizer.Along with a link to the actualphoto wherever that's located on your hard drive.And the record in the catalog of each photo also contains informationabout the photo, like its name and other metadata, andyou can see that metadata in the organizer by going downto the Tags Info button at the bottom of the taskpane, clicking on the information tab, and then selecting a photo.

And there you'll see lots of information aboutthe selected photo that's included in this Elements catalog.Now when you first launch Elements, the programmakes a default catalog for you which is namesmy catalog.You can see the name of the active catalogdown at the very bottom right of the organizer.You can have more than one organizer catalog, but in mostcases I recommend that you stick with just this one default catalog.For all your photos.That's because when you're looking for a photo, Elements canonly display and search through one catalog at a time.

So, if all your photos are in one catalogyou can see and search through them all at once.Having said that,once in awhile, there's a good reason to make a separate catalog.For example, you may be using the official exercise files for this courseor your own practice photos to work along with me through the course.And if you want to keep those course photos separatefrom your actual photos, that's one of the rare times.When it would make sense to make a new catalog.So here's how you do that.To make a new catalog in the organizer, I'll go up to the File>Manage Catalogs.

That opens the Catalog Manager.Down here in the catalog manager you cansee a list of all of your existing catalogs.And the one that's active will say current after it.If I go up to the New button and click there I can create a new catalog.I'll call this new catalog Xfiles.I won't bother importing free music into this catalog.I'll just click OK and that closes thecatalog manager and takes me back to the organizerinto a brand new catalog.One called Xfiles and you can see the name down at the bottom right of the organizer.

And this new catalog is a blank catalog.It doesn't yet contain any photos or other media files.You can switch from this exercise files catalog back toyour default catalog, the one called my catalog, at any timeby going back to the catalog manager, as I justshowed you, and choosing my catalog from the list of catalogs.But fornow, stick with this empty catalog and I'll show you howto import the exercise files into it in the next movie.

There are currently no FAQs about Up and Running with Photoshop Elements 12.

Learn by watching, listening, and doing, Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along Premium memberships include access to all exercise files in the library.

Already a member ?

Learn by watching, listening, and doing! Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along. Exercise files are available with all Premium memberships.
Learn more

Upgrade to our Annual Premium Membership today and get even more value from your lynda.com subscription:

“In a way, I feel like you are rooting for me. Like you are really invested in my experience, and want me to get as much out of these courses as possible this is the best place to start on your journey to learning new material.”— Nadine H.

Thanks for signing up.

We’ll send you a confirmation email shortly.

Sign up and receive emails about lynda.com and our online training library:

new course releases

newsletter

general communications

special notices

Here’s our privacy policy with more details about how we handle your information.

Keep up with news, tips, and latest courses with emails from lynda.com.

Sign up and receive emails about lynda.com and our online training library:

new course releases

newsletter

general communications

special notices

Here’s our privacy policy with more details about how we handle your information.